e claims:
contiguous zone:
12 nm
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
territorial claim in Antarctica (Australian Antarctic Territory)
Climate:
generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in
north
Terrain:
mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
Natural resources:
bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, silver, uranium, nickel,
tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum
Land use:
arable land:
6%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
58%
forest and woodland:
14%
other:
22%
Irrigated land:
18,800 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development, urbanization,
and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due to the use of
poor quality water; desertification; clearing for agricultural
purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant
species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the largest
coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased shipping and its
popularity as a tourist site; limited freshwater availability
natural hazards:
cyclones along the coast; subject to severe droughts
international agreements:
party to - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not
ratified - Law of the Sea
Note:
world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population
concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; regular,
tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor" occurs along
the west coast in the summer

@Australia, People

Population:
18,077,419 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.38% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
14.29 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
7.38 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
6.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
7.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
77.57 years
male:
74.45 years
female:
80.84 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.83 childr